Stoolball
The game of stoolball, over 500 years old, is the forerunner of cricket. It is played with similar equipment on any grass area with a 90 yard diameter boundary.
The pitch is 16 yards long. Bowling is underarm from a bowling crease 10 yards from the batsman's wicket, and the ball does not hit the ground before reaching the batter. The wickets are wooden boards on stakes. Teams usually have eleven players, with one team fielding and the other batting. The bat is the shape of a table tennis bat, made of willow with a long, sprung and spliced handle.
The scoring and rules are similar to those of cricket, with the batting side defending the wickets. There are runs, boundaries, catches and run-outs, and also body-before-wicket (BBW). But there are eight balls in each over, as there were originally in cricket.
The Team plays in the Surrey Ladies League. Training and/or matches are played every Wednesday from May to August at 6.45pm. All ages, all standards welcome. Anyone who was a cricket umpire, or wants to train as a stoolball umpire is also welcome - we'll even pay your membership fees!
To see our fixtures list, click here.
To hear a recent podcast, on Brooklands FM Radio, featuring OVSC Stoolball, click here.
Enquiries, to any member of the Committee which comprises...
| Role | Person | Contact No. |
|---|---|---|
| Captain - on pitch | Mandy McGachie | 07985 575956 |
| Captain - Organiser | Dave Smith | 01372 372553 |
| Treasurer | Lynn Hall | 07766 475269 |
| Fixtures/Secretary | Lois Lodge | 01306 885250 |
| Coach | Mandy McGachie | 07985 575956 |
The AGM will be held in the Autumn.
Colours: green and yellow.
National Stoolball Association website: www.stoolball.co.uk
